Frank, a bear, and Ernest, an elephant, specialize in taking care of small businesses while the owner is away. When Mrs. Miller hires them to run her diner for three days, they assure her that they will take good care of it. Then Frank decides they must learn diner lingo before they begin. For an order of a hot dog with ketchup and a dish of Jell-O, Ernest yells, ``Paint a bow-wow red, and I need a nervous pudding.'' And for a vanilla milk shake with an egg in it, to go, Frank calls out for a ``white cowmake it cackle and let it walk.'' As Frank and Ernest take care of the customers, readers will enjoy the funny way in which an order is translated into diner-ese; it's just the kind of wordplay that kids like, and love to imitate. Frank and Ernest, in stodgy colors of brown and gray, form a contrast to the airy lines of the gleaming diner, but look perfectly comfortable in the art of slinging hash. Ages 5-8. (September)